Gary Lyle Freise

Gary L. Freise was born January 16, 1945 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was the son of Charles Arthur and Velma Lyle (Morris) Freise. Gary was raised and attended school in Tulsa, graduating from Daniel Webster High School with the Class of 1961. Shortly after graduation, Gary accepted employment with the Community State Bank and then the Boulder Bank. After a short tenure with the bank, Gary started attending Northeastern State University (NSU) to pursue a career in banking. While at NSU, Gary was close to being drafted into the Army, so he enlisted into the United States Marine Corps. He then was inducted into the service of his country in the Corps and attended eight weeks of intensified recruit training under non-commissioned officer Drill Instructors at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California. He was instructed in small arms marksmanship, bayonet fighting, and methods of self-protection, as well as receiving instruction in military drill, history and traditions of the United States Marine Corps. He received all the training and instruction in eight weeks formally given in twelve weeks to hasten his transfer to the ongoing war in Vietnam. After four additional weeks of advanced infantry combat training at Camp Pendleton, California he was immediately shipped out to Southeast Asia. After a short time in Vietnam, Private Freise was promoted to the rank of Corporal and the position of squad leader. While on routine patrol his unit came under heavy fire and Corporal Freise lead many of his men and those who obtained injuries to safety. During this time Corporal Freise was hit by shrapnel that penetrated his helmet and left him critically injured. He was medivaced to DaNang where he underwent extensive surgery for trauma to his head. He was later air lifted to Great Lakes Naval Hospital where he remained in a coma for over a year. Due to the hardship placed upon his parents having to travel to Illinois to see him, Gary was transferred to the Veterans Hospital in Oklahoma City where he regained consciousness. During the next several months, he had to undergo extensive rehabilitation in order to do the simplest tasks. As he improved, he was eventually given a 100% military disability discharge, although he never regained the use of his legs. He was honorably retired from military service on June 1, 1968. For service to his country, Corporal Freise was awarded the Purple Heart, National Defense Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Service Medal. Additionally he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with the V device. The Bronze Star is the fifth highest combat decoration and the tenth highest U. S. military award in order of precedence. When awarded for acts of heroism, the medal is awarded with the ìVî device, like the one awarded to Corporal Freise. Upon his retirement, Gary returned to Tulsa where he was able to build a new handicap accessible home through the assistance of the Veterans Administration. As his health deteriorated through the years, he moved to the Cleveland Manor Nursing Home to reside with his mother and then later to the Southern Oaks Nursing Center in Pawnee where he has resided for the past several years. Gary was an avid Oklahoma State University Football fan and Posse Club Member, attending Cowboy home games at every available opportunity as a season ticket holder. He enjoyed spending time with his niece and her husband, Kim and David Gruenwald, as they took him to the games. He was also a major supporter of the Pawnee Black Bear Basketball team. He additionally enjoyed watching the Tulsa Drillers and donated to the construction of the new Driller Stadium. While residing in Tulsa, after graduating from high school, Gary actually won two cars in two years in a downtown Tulsa Day promotion. He was extremely proud of the 1961 Corvette he won in the first drawing. Gary was a lifelong member of the Baptist Church and enjoyed attending the services provided by the First Baptist Church in Pawnee at the Southern Oak Nursing Center. He passed away on Saturday, March 16, 2013 at the Kindred Hospital in Tulsa at the age of sixty-eight. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Arthur Freise and Velma Lyle Freise Sides. Lyle is survived by his sister, Della Marie and her husband, Ed Kapple of Maramec, Oklahoma; half-brother, Gerald Freise of Marysville, California; and a half sister, Beverly Beasley of Kansas City, Kansas; nieces and nephews, Terry and Claudia Kapple of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Randy and Tammy Kapple of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Kima and David Gruenwald of Pawnee, Oklahoma. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am Thursday, March 21, 2013 at First Baptist Church in Hallett with Rev. Earl Wessel officiating. Burial will be at 2:00 pm, at the Floral Haven Cemetery in Tulsa under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home. Friends may share a memory with the family at the funeral home or online at www.chapman-black.com